Wheeled toy.



c. E. BAILEY & F. w. NANFELDT.

WHEELED TOY.

APPLICATION men IAN-3. 1917.

Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

aarnn Flitj.

CLIFFORD E. BAILEY AND FRED W. NANFELDT, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGN- OBS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE A. C. GILBERT COMPANY, OF NEW "HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

WHEELED TOY.

Application filed. January 3, 1917. Serial No. 140,376.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that we, CLIFFORD E. BAILEY and FRED W. NANFELDT, citizens of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVheeled Toys, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wheeled toys. The primary object of the invention is the provision of an article of this characterwhich is susceptible of inexpensive and ready manufacture. In that form of embodiment of the invention which we have selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings and which will be set forth fully in the following description, the toy is shown as being of propulsive type. Another object of the invention is the provision of means of a highly effective nature which can be easily operated, to effect the movement of the toy when desired. The invention possesses other features of novelty and advantage which with the foregoing will be stated at length in said description. As will be evident we do not restrict ourselves to the exact structure set forth by said drawings and description. We may depart therefrom in various respects within the scope of the invention defined by the claims following said description.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of a toy involving the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, the section being taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow,

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail, the section being taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The toy comprises in' its make-up a body of suitable character. It is a matter of preference that this body be made of sheet metal as thereby we can obtain one of theprimary purposes of the invention, viz., low cost of production. A. body such as meets our requirement is that denoted in a general way by 2. This body whether of 'sheet metal or otherwise can take a large variety of forms, only one of which we have deemed it necessary to illustrate. As shown the body is made up of a cart 3, a figure as 4: rising from the cart or equivalent vehicle and a horse as 5, assumed to be pulling the cart. There may be-as we have observed, widely different arrangement of figures, it being only necessary, however, to show one. As a matter of fact the body can represent any object or objects.

As will be inferred from the title the toy is wheeled, there being two of such wheels as 6 carried by the axle '2' which extends through an opening in the lower portion of the body 2, the wheels 6 being equidistant practically from said body. These wheels may be either loose on or tight with the shaft, the former usually being the relation adopted. The body 2 is furnished with a guide wheel as 8 generally at the front end thereof and as shown pivoted to what are presumed to be the forelegs of the representation of an animal as 5. It is not always necessary that the guide wheel which is disposed in a plane practically midway'of the planes of the wheels 6, should be provided. In some cases we have dispensed with it. a

The primary motive power for efiecting the propulsion of the toy may be of any .suitable nature, although the momentum or inertia wheel 9 serves admirably in this connection. This wheel is weighted and acts through intermediate means which will be hereinafter described, to operate a driven element to effect the movement of the vehicle. Preferably the wheel 9 is weighted so as to give it momentum enough when rotated properly to effect the desired action. As illustrated this driving member 9 is rigid with the spindle 10, although the two parts might in some cases and are at times actually made integral. In the construction shown the spindle 10 is driven by the drivin g member 9, so that the two turn together. The body 2 as represented has in the rear portion thereof the elongated slot 11 which is shown as vertically disposed and which receives within it or between its side walls said spindle 10. To hold the spindle in place and also to permit of its necessary rotation, suitable means as studs 12 are provided, these studs in the present case being driven into sockets extending from the end walls of the slot 11 and comparatively freely fitting sockets in the flat ends of the spindle Patented Feb. 5, Emil.

35 weight of the wheel 9 acts as a Suitable means for holding-the spindle 10 in proper driving Contact with'the wheel or disk 14.

10, the sockets in the upright spindle, which receive the studs or pins '12 being made sufiiciently deep as to permit a certain amount. of longitudinal movement of the spindle. j r

The body 2 in addition to the slot 11 has a second slot 13 extending in what might be considered the direction of the length of the body or from the rear toward the front thereof. This slot is intersected virtually the wheels 6 are of the samediameter, and

if-they are loose on the shaft, it is preferable that the disk or driven element 14 be of like diameter as in this case it is necessary that the periphery of the Wheel ordisk '14 should be upon the surface which supports the wheels 6. The lower fiat end'of the spindle 10 as shown engages. the circumference of the Wheel or disk 14, and it .will be clear that if said spindle be rotated, it will" owing to'its contact with the wheel or disk 14: rotate the latter, and'if the toy be upon the ground it will be driven. The

To rotate the spindle '10 any suitable *ineans may be provided, although this is generally done by a cord as-15, the spindle -10 having near its upper end a small opening as 16 to receive the forward free end" of the cord which is then wound upon the spindle-to the necessary extent. By grasping-the outerfree end of the cord'and pull- 'ing' on it,-the spindle 10 will be rapidly ro- 1 "tated, thusto effect in the manner already "set forth the rotation ofthe wheel or'disk 14 and the movement of the toy provided it be upon a surface. Thewheel 9 is weighted sufficiently to insure the necessary momentum thereof when the spindle 10 is rotated, thus insuring a comparatively long travel of the vehicle on each pull'on the cord 15 or equivalent.

'-It is desirable to call attention to one fact *inco'nnection with the wheels and that is that'we prefer to make the wheel 14 a little larger in diameter than the" two wheels 6,

in View 'of whio'hthe toy'will travel in a circle. 7

What we claim is: I 15A wheeled toy compr-i's'ing a body formed to represent an object or objects and provided with an axle at the rear portion thereof furnished with wheels at opposite sides of the body, the body being supported forward of the wheels 'of the axle and being immovable vertically during the move- ,.ment of the toy along a support, a momentum wheel, and a splndle with which the momentum wheel is rigidly connected for rotation, the body having an opening to support the spindle and the wheel for movement about an upright axis, the axle having a disk to be "engaged by said spindle on the rotation thereof, to thus propel the vehicle. 7

2. A toy comprising a fiat body adapted to lie in :a plane and formed to represent an objector objects, an axle supported by the rear portion of the body and having wheels at opposite sides of said body, the body being furnished with means forward ofthe axle'to support the same, a spindle and a momentum wheel rotative therewith, the body being slotted to receive both the spindle and the momentum wheel, and means carried by the axle and actuated by the spindle for effecting the propulsion-of the toy.

3. A wheeled toy comprising a body portion adapted to-lie in a plane and'having a vertical slotand also having a second slot intersecting the slotted part of the body portion-to form a cruciform opening, a spindle in the vertical slot, the ends of the spindle having sockets and said body portion being provided withpins freely fitting the sockets to permit of the rotation of the spindle, a weighted momentum wheel in the slotted part of the body portion, rotative with said spindle, and a wheeled axle sup ported by the body and provided with a friction wheel engaged by the lower end of the spindle.

4, toy comprising a Hat body adapted to lie in a plane and formed to represent an object or objects, an axle supported by the rear portion of the body and provided with wheels at opposite sides of the body, the latter being furnished with means to support it at apoint forward of the axle and the wheels thereof, a spindle, the body he- 1ng slotted to receive thespindle and being furnished with means to rotatively support said spindle, a weighted momentum wheel to rotate with the axle, and a wheel on the .axle at one side of the body to be engaged by the spindle to effect the rotation of the axle and therefore the propulsion of the toy.

5. A wheeled toy comprising a fiat body adapted to lie in :a plane, said body consisting of a thinshcet metal plate formed to represent an object or objects and slotted adjacent one end to receive an upright-spindle witha momentumwheelv thereon,.a transverse horizontal axle atsaid end of the body beneath sald slotted portion, ground wheels on said axle at the respective sides of the body, an upri ht spindle in the slotted portion of the b0 y above said axle and having a momentum wheel thereon within said slotted portion to rotate in a horizontal plane, and means associated with the axle for propelling'the body by rotation of said momentum wheel, said body constructed to engage the floor or ground adjacent its opposite end at a point remote from said wheels to support it for proper propulsion.

6. A wheeled toy comprising an elongated flat plate cut out adjacent one end to present an opening, an upright spindle and a momentum wheel accommodated in said opening, said spindle suitably mounted in the top and bottom. respectively of the opening, said momentum wheel being adapted to rotate in said opening in a horizontal plane, a transverse horizontal axle supported by the plate beneath said opening, wheels on the respective ends of the axle at opposite sides of the plate adapted to support the same on the floor or ground, and means associated with the intermediate part of the axle for propelling the toy by rotation of said momentum wheel, th'e'toy body being constructed to "engage the floor or ground adjacent its opposite end at a point remote from said Wheels to support it for proper propulsion.

7. A wheeled toy comprising an elongated flat plate cut out adjacent one end to present a slotted portion, a momentum wheel in said slotted portion adapted to rotate in a horizontal plane, means for mounting said momentum wheel, an axle extending through said plate beneath the slotted portion thereof and having wheels at opposite sides respectively of the plate for supporting the same on the floor or ground, and means associated with the intermediate part of the axle for propelling the toy by rotation of said momentum wheel, said last named means located at one side of the plate, said plate being formed to represent an ob ect or objects and being provided at a point remote from said wheel with means for supporting it on the ground or floor for proper propulsion. V

8. A wheeled toy comprising a flat body adapted to lie in a plane and formed to represent an object or objects, said body consisting of a sheet metal plate stamped out to present a vertical slot and a horizontal slot intersecting said vertical slot, a spindle in the vertical slot, a momentum wheel on the spindle within the horizontal slot, an axle extending through the plate beneath and substantially in line with the vertical slot, wheels on the respective ends of said axle to support the body on the fioor or ground, means on said plate for giving it ground support additional to said wheels, and means associated with said axle and located at one side of the plate for propelling the body over the ground by rotation of said momentum wheel.

9. A wheeled toy comprising a flat plate formed to represent an object or objects,

said plate presented vertically and edgewise to the floor, an axle passing through said plate at the lower portion thereof, wheels on said axle at the respective sides of the plate for supporting it on the floor or ground, a horizontally rotatable momentum wheel mounted in an opening of the plate for propelling said plate on said wheels, and means supplementary to said wheels for giving the plate additional support on the floor or ground.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

CLIFFORD E. BAILEY. FRED WV. NANFELDT. Witnesses:

JOHN J. LYNCH, CHAS. T. HULL.

m plea of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "tiommilsaloner at ltmatenta,

Washington, D. C. 

